Cup dispenser



July 17,- 1928. I 1,677,166

H. J. BAUR CUP DISPENSER Filed Oct. 18. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 :T1 g E July 17, 1928.

- H. J. BAUR,

CUP DISPENSER Filed on. 18, 1924 s Sheets Sheet 2 July 17, 1928. 1,677,166

H. J. BAUR' CUP DISPENSER File O 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 1928.

( UNITED PATENT OFFICE."

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Application til ed October 18, 1924. Serial No. 744,312.

. removed from the container as needed for use.

It is desirable that containers for this purpose be so constructed that thearticles there- .in are protected from dust and dirt and at the same time conveniently removable from the container one at a time. An important object of the present invention resides in the provision of a container of inexpenslve and durable construction which fulfills these re- 1 quirements in a satisfactorymanner.

. It is also an importantobject of th1s 1nvention to provide a dispensing container which is adapted to permit of the individual removal of articles therefrom and which is lockable to prevent the bodily removal of the stack of articles contained therein.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a dispensing container wherein the articles to be dispensed are au- 5 tomatically moved into position for removal by a force which is continuously applied thereto. 1

Other. and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disao closures in the specification and the accom panying drawings. 1 The invention (in a preferred form) is shown on the drawings and hereinafter more fully described. On the drawings-' ing container embodying the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the container. Figure 3 is on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the container with a stack of articles therein and with the rear cover plate removed. i Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 3. I

Figure 6 is a'plan view of the discharge end of the dispenser. v

- Figure 7 is a section on the 'lineVIL-VII of Figure 4 with parts in elevation.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of the locking mechanism.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary seea section on. the line IIL-III to, are provided with flange members 6 which Figure 1 is afront elevation of a dispenstion with parts in elevation on the line IX-IX of Figure 3.

As shown on the drawings- The dispensing container of this invention comprises front and back portions which are designated b the reference numerals l and 2, respective y; said portions being hinged together at one end as at 3; the back portion 2 being provided with inwardly extending flanges 4' which engage over the outside of similar inwardly extending flanges 5 on the front portion 1. The inner edges of the inwardly extending flanges 5 of the front portion 1 or similar members adjacent thereextend inwardly from said edges in a plane parallel to the plane of the front portion 1. The lower ends of said flange members 6 are joined together by an integral plate 7 so that the lower portion of'the front ortion 1 of the container affords a housing or the'lower portion of a flat spring member 8 whichas shown in Figures 3 and 4, is bent upon itself back and forth across said front portion 1 to afford acompressible spring memher. The lower end of said compressible spring member formed from the flat spring 8 rests on a bottom portion 9 directly above the hinge 3-while the upper end thereof is slotted to engage over the lower edge ofa pair .of juxtaposed plates 10 which are provided at each edge with outwardly extend- 7 ing lateral flanges 11 slidable in the guide' ways afforded by the flanges 5 and 6", and the front portion '1. It will thus be seen that the helical spring member 8 normally tends to urge the plates 10 and the flanges 11 thereon upwardly relative to the front portion 1' when the'dispenser is used as shown in the drawings herein, 1 9 "As clearly shown at 12, in Figure 5, the upper corner of the plates 10 are bent backvwardly upon said plates to afford a seat for the interior of the bottom or inside article of\a stack of nested articles which in the present instance comprises fiat triangular. shape paper drinking cups which I have represented herein by the reference numeral 13.

A laterally extending bracket member 14.- secured to one of said plates 10 and towards the rear of the container also affords a sup port forthe inner end of said stack of cups and at the same time aflt'ords means whereby said plates may be moved againstthe normal force exerted by the spring member 8.

, inside of the front portion 1 in the proper angular relation to said articles, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 7. As will be clearly noted from an examination of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, the closed outer end of the endmost article of the stack of articles 13 pro- 'ects through a slot which I have indicated y the. reference numeral 16 and which is provided by the space left between the joining ends of the front and back portions 1 and 2. In order that said slot may be closed so as to prevent the access of dirt and foreign matter therein, and also so asto frictionally and resiliently engage the tips of the articles projecting therethrough, the same is pro- -vided with a gasket member 17 of felt or other suitable resilient material which is secured to the inside of the end of the back portion 2 by means of a frame 18 and suitable clips 19 secured to the inner side of said frame. As will be noted from an examination of Figure 6, the slot 16 is so formed as to permit of the ready extension of they closed tip and of the articles therethrough and at the same time to be closed as much as possible against the entrance of dirt or other foreign matter into the interior of the container.

In order to preventthe unauthorized se aration of the front and back portions 1 an 2, and the bodily removal of the stack of articles 13 after such senoaration, a suitable lock ing mechanism "which is shown in Figures 7, 8 and dis provided for securing said portions together. Said locking mechanism comprises a U-shaped s ring member 20 which is mounted in a suitable slotted housing 21 secured to the inside of one of the flanges 4; said sprin member 20 beingprovided at its ends wit hook locking members 22 which are adapted to be engaged through apertures 23 in one of the flange members 6, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 7. Said spring member'20, as will be obvious, normally acts to retain said hook locking memjbers 22 locked to said flange 6 when engaged through the apertures and said locking members may only be released by the insertion of a suitable key through a slot 24; in the casing 21 which registers with a slot 25 in the flange 4. The insertion of a key through these registerin slots, of course, forces the 'legs of the Us a ed spring 20 apart and releases the hook ocking members 22, consequently permitting the front and back portions to be swung apart about the hinge 3, thus permitting the insertion of a new stack of nested articles 13 in the container, where the may be subsequently withdrawn individually through the slot 16, by grasping the protruding tip portions thereof.

It will be apparent that this invention provides a dis ensing container for a stack of nested articles wherein said stack may be locked in the container so that the articles may be individually withdrawn therefrom; the stack of articles being moved by the spring 8 as the same are withdrawn, so that a succeeding article is forced into position for withdrawal until all of the articles in the stack'have been individually withdrawn. The apparatus provided is simple,

durable and inexpensive and while I have shown in the drawings a positioning thereof for withdrawal of the articles from the top of the container, it is to be understood that this position might be reversed and the articles withdrawn from the bottom of the container.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A container comprising a front portion, a back portion pivotally secured thereto, said portions being separated at one end to provide a slot through which articles in a stack of articles in the container may be individually removed, spring actuated slidable plates for automatically maintaining an article in position to be removed through said slot, said plates having the upper corners bent to afford a seat to project into the stack of articles, and a bracket secured to the platesto also serve as a seat for the stack of articles.

2. A dispenser of the character wherein the dispensed articles are singly withdrawn, I

embracing supporting means for the articles in the dispenser tending to move the same in the direction of the force exerted by such withdrawal, said supporting means comprising a looped spring member having a slot therein, a plate carriage seated in said slot, and a bracket secured on said carriage to assistin supporting the articles.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HUGO J. BAUR. 

